Philly History
EXPLORE PENNSYLVANIA!
Looking for information about Pennsylvania in general?
Here's a great site for Philly and beyond!
PACSCL
La Salle University is proud to be a member of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL).
The over thirty member libraries and archives of PACSCL collect, care for, and share with a world-wide audience collections that, in their depth and variety, comprise an internationally important body of unique materials for students, scholars and lifelong learners at any level.
The collections of PACSCL member libraries include a total of more than 4,000,000 rare books, 260,000 linear feet of manuscripts and archival materials, and 9,000,000 photographs, maps, architectural drawings, and works of art on paper. PACSCL member libraries hold rich collections of materials on national, regional, and local history; the natural and social sciences; world history, literature and religion; art and architecture; and business and industry.
Pennsylvania Magazines
A great resource for researching Philadelphia and beyond is the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, which is published by the Pennsylvania Historical Society. It can be accessed several different ways.
- 1907 - 2005 is available full text through Penn State by clicking here.
- 1877 - present is available on JSTOR.
This is not to be confused with Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies which is published by Penn State, and is the official publication of the Pennsylvania Historical Association. This journal is available from 1934 - 2005 on Penn State's website by clicking here. 2010- present is available through Project Muse.
Digital Research Tools and Databases
- Philadelphia Architects and BuildingsA free, publicly searchable Internet database of architectural and historical information and images for 35,000+ structures, mostly in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. A joint effort The Athenæum of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania Architectural Archives, the Philadelphia Historical Commission, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and many other local cultural institutions.
- PhillyHistory.org -- Philadelphia City ArchivesThe Philadelphia City Archive is one of the country's largest municipal archives, with about 2 million photographs, dating from the late 1800's. Discover gorgeous images of Philadelphia, its industry, architecture, culture, and people.
- Greater Philadelphia Geohistory NetworkThe Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network (GPGN) is a pilot project of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL) to develop a web-based repository of geographically organized historical information about Philadelphia, its geography, its buildings, and its people.
- PhilaPlacePhilaPlace is an interactive Web site, created by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, that connects stories to places across time in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. PhilaPlace weaves stories shared by ordinary people of all backgrounds with historical records to present an interpretive picture of the rich history, culture, and architecture of our neighborhoods, past and present.
Subject-specific digital history sites
- Civil War Philadelphia and its CountrysideSite created for the 150 year anniversary of the Civil War, exploring Philadelphia and its surrounding areas involvement in the war.
Connelly Library Department of Special Collections
The Connelly Library houses a diverse department of Special Collections, including the Imaginative Representations of the Vietnam War, the Wister Family Papers and the Dunleavy Bible Collection.
La Salle University Archives
The La Salle University Archives is located on the lower level of Connelly Library. For more on the Archives, visit their webpage.
Fun
I found this cartoon on Google while researching this guide. This is from a Kool Aid Man comic book from the mid 1980s, where the Kool Aid Man traveled time to quench thirst!
